Maddog's 2nd build: PBH-4 "Bass Overkill"

So I'm thinking of going an RC style cavity/pickguard tail and maybe removing the horn on pickguard to expose more wood. Also add a truss rod cover

http://i.imgur.com/ZSCVO55.jpg

So I've been thinking about this build while slowing working on sanding my other build (really, really slowly), and was thinking that I would prefer to do the control cavities from the rear and do away with the pickguard but didn't think I was up to that stage yet.

At a couple of the gigs I went to in the last week I saw a couple of J-Bass deluxe copies that did exactly that and thought that's exactly what I want to do. After one of these gigs (at which I had a few) I ended browsing stewmac and ended up buying a mahogany body blank.

So the plan now is to make a copy of the body in mahogany with a red stain to go with the black hardware I've got.

I'm so biting off more than I can chew

Hi Maddogm

I thought that myself (biting more than I could chew) when I decided to start working on a blank. Now - it's really not that hard if you have at least some of the right tools, patience and careful planning plus triple checking before starting on for example routing. I for example didn't make any hard templates but used an oven paper to transfer lines on to the wood. One thing I did was route the neck pocket first. After trying on the neck you still can make changes positioning everything else on the blank. Measure, measure, measure... And you'll be alright.

the mahogany blank arrived the other day
Attachment 8559
Attachment 8560

also bought a couple of pieces of pine from the green shed that im going to turn into another body blank to practice on

Biting off more than you can chew? I know exactly what you mean.

http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au...ead.php?t=4846

That is a lovely looking bit of mahogany though, I look forward to seeing it become a stonking bass body!

Nice 'hog blank ya got there.

It is vitally important to make a template that has the neck pocket and pup rout.
That way you know that everything will line up, and it also gives some wriggle room with the body shape.

DB, how would you go about doing what maddog is attempting?

I've had a go at tracing out a template for making a template :P
Attachment 8769
Attachment 8770

my main concern here is getting the neck pocket right, then the pickup routs. The rest is just looks :P
I think from here I should be able use this to position the neck to trace it onto the mdf I'm planning on using for the main template

Not 100% confident I'll get it right 1st time, but that's why I'm puting together a pine body blank until I can get it right.